Pasefika Sāmoan Dictionary: Sumu

Sumu in Sāmoan language is Southern Cross in English language.

Southern Cross in English language is known as:


Sumu (Crux - Southern Cross) - noun

Sumu (phonetic: / So͞o-mo͞o / | ipa:/ ˈsuˑmuˑ / | symbols: / ˈsümü / )

“Sumu” is how Sāmoans identify the asterism/constellation which is commonly known as Crux / Southern Cross.

“Sumu” in Sāmoan language us also used as a general name for the triggerfish.

“Crux - Southern Cross” is identified in Polynesian languages as “Sumu” in Sāmoan language, “Hānaiakamalama” in Hawaiʻian language, “Toloa” in Tongan language, “Tau hā” in Tahitian language and/or “Te Punga” in Te Reo Māori language (Aotearoa).

Sumu (Crux - Southern Cross) by Jon Apisa

Jon Apisa. Sumu (Crux - Southern Cross). 2024. oil on canvas, 16" x 20" (40.64 cm x 50.8 cm).

Sumu painting by Jon Apisa

Sumu Aloalo | Humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa (Rhinecanthus rectangulus) by Jon Apisa

Jon Apisa. Sumu Aloalo | Humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa (Rhinecanthus rectangulus). 2024. colored pencil on paper, 8.5" x 5.5" (26.1cm x 14cm).

Sumu drawing by Jon Apisa

Sāmoan to English Dictionary


English Sāmoan Hawaiʻian Tongan Tahitian Māori Scientific
Yellow Sāmasama Melemele Engeenga Re‘are‘a
Sea Sami Kai Tahi Miti Moana
Sāmoa Sāmoa Hāmoa Haʻamoa Hāmoa Hāmoa
Compass 090° E Sasaʻe Hikina Hahake Maoaʻe Marangai E 90°
East Sasaʻe Hikina Hahake Maoaʻe Marangai E 90°
Compass 067.5° ENE Sasaʻe Mātū i Sasaʻe ʻĀina Koʻolau Hahake Tokelauhahake Kāinga Tokerau ENE 67.5°
Compass 112.5° ESE Sasaʻe Saute i Sasaʻe ʻĀina Malanai Hahake Tongahake Pāmaoaʻe Kāinga Marangai ESE 112.5°
Slate pencil urchin Satula Haʻukeʻuke ʻUlaʻula Heterocentrotus mamillatus
Compass 180° S Saute Hema Tonga Toʻa Tonga S 180°
Compass 135° SE Saute i Sasaʻe Manu Malanai Tonga Hahake Maraʻamu Manu Marangai SE 135°
South East Saute i Sasaʻe Malani Tonga Hahake Maraʻamu Pitonga SE 135°
South West Saute i Sisifo Kona Tokelau Hihifo Urupā Tonga mā uru SW 225°
Compass 225° SW Saute i Sisifo Manu Kona Tokelau Hihifo Urupā Manu Whakarunga SW 225°
Compass 157.5° SSE Saute Saute i Sasaʻe Nā Leo Malanai Tonga Tongahake Ngā Reo Marangai SSE 157.5°
Compass 202.5° SSW Saute Saute i Sisifo Nā Leo Kona Tonga Tongahihifo ʻĀrueroa Ngā Reo Whakarunga SSW 202.5°
Syzygium corynocarpum Seasea Syzygium corynocarpum
Centotheca lappacea Sefa Centotheca lappacea
Ten Sefulu ʻUmi Hogofulu Ahuru Tekau
Zero Selo ʻOle Noa Aore Kore 0
September Setema Kepakemapa Sepitema Tetepa Hepetema
bark cloth | Siapo aka tapa Siapo Kapa Ngatu
West Sisifo Komohana Hihifo Raro Hauāuru W 270°
Compass 270° W Sisifo Komohana Hihifo Raro Hauāuru W 270°
Compass 292.5° WNW Sisifo Mātū i Sisifo ʻĀina Hoʻolua Hihifo Tokelauhihifo Pāparu Kāinga Whakararo WNW 292.5°
Compass 247.5° WSW Sisifo Saute i Sisifo ʻĀina Kona Hihifo Tongahihifo Uru Kāinga Whakarunga WSW 247.5°
Dance Siva Haʻa Faiva ʻOri Hari
Girder So‘a
Taro bud, young shoot from corm Soesoe ʻOhā
Bitter yam Soi Dioscorea bulbifera
Horse Solofanua Lio Hoosi Puaʻahorofenua Hōiho Equus ferus caballus
Crux Sumu Hānaiakamalama Toloa Tau hā Te Punga
Southern Cross Sumu Hānaiakamalama Toloa Tau hā Te Punga
Rectangular triggerfish Sumu aloalo Humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa Rhinecanthus rectangulus
Reef triggerfish Sumu aloalo Humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa Rhinecanthus rectangulus
Wedge-tail Triggerfish Sumu aloalo Humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa Rhinecanthus rectangulus
Whitebanded Triggerfish Sumu uoʻuo Rhinecanthus aculeatus

English to Polynesian Dictionary



Hawaiʻian to English Dictionary



Tongan to English Dictionary



Tahitian to English Dictionary



Māori to English Dictionary




The Pasefika Polynesian dictionary is project of Jon Apisa intended as a comparative dictionary to view similarities, differences and cognate relationships of words in multiple Polynesian languages.